Rapanos: Midland County should have Young Republicans group

"I'd love to see a Young Republicans group" in Midland County, Judith A. Rapanos told approximately 230 GOP colleagues May 5.

Also on her wish list: an annual Midland County Republicans picnic and a long list of county Republicans' e-mail addresses, so they could regularly get an electronic newsletter.

Rapanos, a member of the county party's executive committee, received its new Golden Elephant Award at the party's annual spring fundraising breakfast at the H Hotel.

That's where she voiced her three wishes.

She was credited at the breakfast with significantly increasing the party's fundraising.

Also, she was the Midland County campaign chief for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in this year's Michigan Republican presidential primary.

Laughter follows Cherry's short answer

Michigan Lt. Gov. John D. Cherry Jr. had a three-word answer when a high school student asked if Cherry is preparing the state for the transition that must occur because Gov. Jennifer Granholm can't seek re-election.

"Yes I am," Cherry said.

There was laughter in the Midland High School room, where Cherry was the guest speaker May 1, when Cherry didn't elaborate. He gave longer answers to students' earlier and later questions that didn't probe his political future.

After the formal question-and-answer session, Cherry lingered to answer more questions from some of the students. And he told a Daily News reporter, who asked, that he's leaning toward running for governor in 2010.

The Michigan United Conservation Clubs named former lawmaker Cherry conservationist of the year in 2005. Environmental and energy issues were among those raised by students in the Q&A session.

"Ethanol can be a major component of our energy mix," with such sources as wood chips, switchgrass and willow - rather than corn that could be used for food, Cherry said.

"A lot of research" on that is being done at Michigan State University, he said.

Cherry continued to support the Democratic presidential candidacy of Sen. Hillary Clinton - also endorsed by Granholm.

He believes Democrats "have a stronger sense of what this nation needs in its future," he said.

This year is "just exactly the right time" for students to become politically focused, Cherry said.

"Many people sense" that the upcoming election is very important in the country's future, and "You have the opportunity to really impact your own future," he said.

"Things are changing in this country pretty dramatically," Cherry said. He added that the economy is becoming more global and that the future president will be confronted by completely different situations than in the past.

Everyone in Cherry's high school class in Genesee County could skip college and have a middle-class lifestyle by working on a General Motors assembly line, he said.

"That's not the case today in this state or country," he added.

Due to labor costs, low-skilled jobs are going to other countries, he explained.

Talking about jobs, Cherry underscored the importance of education and of Michigan-based venture capital in the state's future.

"We knew we had to put in place venture capital so people with great ideas could stay in Michigan," he said.

In the past, would-be entrepreneurs "had to go to the East Coast and West Coast to get venture capital," Cherry said. That meant a likelihood that the entrepreneurs would leave Michigan because venture capitalists want to be close to them, he explained.

Cherry mentioned new jobs at Hemlock Semiconductor and in Kalamazoo, and added, "We will never solve our problems by getting one huge victory."

Saying Granholm faced a difficult situation, he added "I think she's done a pretty decent job of focusing on the right things."

John D. Cherry Jr.

* More than 20 years of service in the Michigan Legislature as a state representative, state senator and minority leader.

* Named the 2005 Conservationist of the Year by the Michigan United Conservation Clubs and elected as chairman of the Great Lakes Commission - the highest-ranking Michigan official in history to serve in that capacity.

* Led the Lt. Governor's Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth; gubernatorial appointee to the Midwest Higher Education Compact.

His interest in politics began as a teenager through organizing and political activism. He took a job as administrative assistant to former state Sen. Gary Corbin, later serving as political director for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO until his election to the Michigan House.

* Received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Michigan in 1973 and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Michigan, Flint in 1984; received an honorary doctor of laws degree from Saginaw Valley State University and an honorary doctor of public service degree from Central Michigan University.

* Cherry and his wife, Pamela M. Faris, have a married daughter, Meghan; a son, John Daniel; and a grandchild. The family has an active interest in springer spaniels and Cherry is a member of the Eastern Michigan Springer Spaniel Association. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, Cherry and his family live in Genesee County.